Giving up
by terrence197
Summary: Bruce is at his ends..he can't recruit the Justice League..he has no option but to approach a reluctant Diana..Rated M for some coarse language, but not much
1. Chapter 1

There's a threat coming and Bruce Wayne is having no luck recruiting metahumans to join his team.

Aquaman will not bulge, Flash is too busy trying to get his father out of jail, Cyborg has identity issues and Diana..well..she will have nothing to do with Bruce Wayne. She made that quite clearly 10 months ago at Clark's funeral.

After weeks of sending emails and text messages, Bruce still hasn't heard from her.

And he was getting desperate.

"These parademons are showing up more and more in our city Alfred. I cannot continue fighting them anymore.

"I need help...we need help."

The elder man can feel a sense of helpless in his protege's voice. He looked tired. Beat.

"You could give her a call?", he matter-of-factly suggested.

"I've tried. She wont take my calls."

"You could go see her." It wasn't a question.

The younger man stared in the fireplace for what seemed like an enternity before mumbling..

"Do we have another choice?"

"I'm afraid not Bruce."

...

The sun shone through the tall windows at the top floor of the Louvre as Bruce - dressed in a dark business suit - strolled into the Antiquities section.

Atop a ladder, Diana was putting the final touches to a commissioned Greek marble statue, salvaged from the depths of the Red Sea some months before.

"You're a bit far from Gotham aren't you Mr Wayne," she addressed him without missing a brushstroke. Calm, precision and attention to detail were some of her finer qualities.

Surprised, Bruce quickly looked around before stammering.

"Well..you know, I was..I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd drop by and pay you a visit.."

"Oh?" she replied. Emotionless.

"Uh..yea..to see your work of course."

"Is that so?..well, now that you have..you can leave now.."

Bruce fished through his head, quickly thinking up something to prolong their conversation.

"Well, since I'm in the neighborhood..perhaps I might buy a few pieces.."

"Is that so?..See anything you like Bruce?"

A grin curved up on his lip.

"I do now."

"Tsk..tsk..God you're so predictable." She stated in a steely tone.

"I was referring to the sculp-"

"Save it Bruce. I know all about you. I'm not one of your Gotham whores you're used to playing with. So take yourself and your money and get out of here..Leave me alone."

Bruce had run out of options. He stood his ground.

"There's a threat coming Diana. I need help. The world needs your help."

Diana slowly climbed down the ladder. She put away her paintbrush on the table. Walked over to Bruce until she stood face to face with him. He could see the anger in her eyes.

"If you hadn't killed Clark the world wouldn't need any help. You wouldn't need my help."

Bruce closed his eyes.

"I know Diana. I made a mistake. I'm sorry."

Exasperated. Her eyes averted him. Focusing beyond him. Deep inside, she found no delight in seeing him admit defeat. After all, the Batman has done a lot of good through the years fighting crime in one of the world's most dangerous cities. That, she respected.

"I'm sorry too Bruce..but I'm at peace now..I'm at the happiest I've been in decades..I've fought many wars for mankind..I simply cannot come running every time I'm told the world is in danger..sometimes, the world has to save itself..sometimes, you have to save yourself.. Go home Bruce..go back to Gotham..there is nothing more I can do for you.."

She turned around and walked back to her work bench. Bruce dropped his head as he slowly made his way to the exit door.

...

Four hours later as Diana headed to her car, loud laughter can be heard from the open cafe across the parking lot.

"Drinks on me!" Bruce shouted to the barman as the two French blondes giggled and clinked their wine glasses. He exchanged flirty looks with the leggy one opposite him as the other sat astride his lap.

"I don't believe this." Diana mumbed under her breath as she looked over across the street.

Dropping her work files on the passenger seat, she briskly strode over to the trio.

"You're drunk Bruce. Get up!"

The lap blonde looked at Bruce and again at Diana and said..

"Brucey, you know this bit-"

There was something about Diana that quickly cut her off. Something in her steely gaze that warned the blonde not to pick a fight with this woman.

"We'll be at the bar Bruce.."

"No, you're not going any where girls," Bruce retorted, "I don't know her..she's just leaving.."

But the pair, fearing trouble, were already making their way to the bar.

Turning around. "Now why the fuck would you do that Diana?" he said with an alcohol fueled glint in his eyes.

"You already told me to get lost. So I did."

"Yea, I told you to go home..not hang around here at bars in Paris entertaining bimbos."

"Whats it to you princess? This is me..fucking bimbos is what I do best. Surely you Ms high and mighty in all your glorious fucking spendour would not want to be seen or care about a guy like me.

"Keep your voice down," she warned, through gritted teeth.

"Why should I? You told me the world can save itself. To save myself. That's what I'm doing.. I'm enjoying myself..to the fucking fullest..the world can go fuck itself!"

Bruce got up. But after three bottles of the house's best wine and an eight hour flight from Gotham, he was in no shape to go anywhere. He stumbles and fell between two tables.

Diana grabbed him by the arm as he struggled to get up.

"Get off me Diana..go back to you fucking museum..I don't need your help"

"You're not going anywhere mister."

"Where's my car?"

"Your car is safe here. You're in no condition to drive."

Knowing that any further attempt to argue was futile, Bruce reluctantly gave up the struggle and allowed her to lead him to her car.

Bruce stretched out in the passenger seat as Diana got behind the wheel. He was still mouthing off at her as she backed out of her parking space. But soon, he fell quiet as the day's combination of wine, long-haul travel and disappointments got the best of him. He was sound asleep.

Diana pulled down the sunshield mirror in front of him and studied his face. He was still handsome. But the years and the toil was showing. His was the face of a man weighed down by the world's troubles, weathered by personal guilt and dedication. But there was something else there. Desperation.

She thought about driving him to his hotel. Surely she could find the address and room card in his wallet. Must be one of those fancy city hotels. But no. She'll take him to her home instead where he can sleep it off. He came all this way to ask her for help, it was the least she could do.

She shook her head.

Was it a sense of obligation coming over her? Was it a sense of protectiveness she was feeling for him? Or is it something else?

"What are you getting yourself into Diana?" She asked herself.


	2. Giving up, chapter 2

Sunlight flooded the spacey living room as Diana - dressed in a red robe - pulled back the heavy curtains.

Jolted from his wine-induced slumber, Bruce squinted and tried to take in the form of the slender - but powerful - Amazon silhouetted by the burst of light.

"Am I dead?"

She smirked.

"Not yet Bruce."

It suddenly dawned on him that he was shirtless on Diana's couch. He quickly took a peek under the duvet and was thankful that he still had his boxers on.

"Bashful aren't we?" she teased, "that's not what I heard about Mr Bruce Wayne."

He stammered.

"Well, you know, men don't perform at their best when they're really drunk...any man.."

She giggled.

"I'm sure..but don't worry..you don't get that lucky. You're not as charming as you think you are Mr Wayne."

Taking advantage of her playfulness, Bruce lay back and pulled the covers down to his waistline.

"You know princess..I could get used to this..yup.."

He reached out a hand for her. But instead, she smiled and put a thick velvet towel in it.

"Before you do..you need this..you don't smell too good. .Shower's second door to your right down that passage way. Your clothes are in the dryer."

Well, it was worth a shot, he thought.

Ten minutes later, Bruce emerged from the shower with the towel draped around his waist. The aroma of freshly-brewed coffee beans emanating from the kitchen.

Diana was just putting the panfry on the stove when Bruce interrupted.

"No, no, no..we can't have that..you sit right here princess. You've done quite enough for me already..it's time I did something for you..what in the world kinda man you think I am?"

He pulled out a chair and she, bemused, reluctantly sat down.

"Wow..who would've known..Gotham's notorious playboy is cooking breakfast for me," she quipped.

"Who would've known I would be in the company of an Amazon princess in Paris this morning," he countered with a naughty grin.

She'd been alone for the best part of a century. Immortality can be extremely lonely. She watched friends come and go. Youthfulness grow old and wither away. It was the main reason why she shied away from emotional attachments, especially intimate relationships. In recent years, she had become quite cold.

Watching his muscly back, Bruce whistling and going about her kitchen, she admitted she liked washing his clothes, she wanted to cook him breakfast. Even better, to have him cook breakfast for her. It's good to have a man in her kitchen, a man in her home. A man to come home to. Maybe a man again in her life. Who knows, a husband perhaps? She smiled.

"You're watching me princess."

"Oh..I was just thinking.

"About what?"

"Oh nothing particularly important."

Bruce noticed the photo he sent Diana of her World War I exploits, her colleagues, now framed and sitting on the kitchen shelf.

"You still think about him?" He asked, nodding at the photograph.

"Sometimes..it was some of the fonder times of my life."

Realizing that she wasn't comfortable talking about herself, Bruce quickly changed the subject.

"Nice place you got here."

"It's not mine."

"Let me guess, rich boyfriend?...girlfriend?..no?"

She smiled.

"It belongs to the museum..I'm merely taking care of it."

"Well, thanks for bringing me here..um, taking care of me last night."

"You're welcome. Paris can be a very dangerous place for a drunk billionaire flashing his cash and looking to get his rocks off..as they say."

Bruce grinned and put a steaming plate before her.

"Well I hope you like eggs benedict on toast..it's the best I can do."

She smiled.

"I'm sure it's delicious.

Bruce took the seat opposite her and watched Diana pick at her food. If the thought of a wife ever crossed his mind, this would be it. It was unfair. Women shouldn't look this beautiful in the morning.

"Have you given it some thought? About helping me?"

Diana put down her fork and touched the corners of her mouth with a serviette. She looked him in the eye.

"I thought about it last night. In fact, I've thought about it for some time now. I've seen the signs. We both know of the imminent threat and the scale of destruction it will bring. So I've decided to join you but.."

"But?"

"It will be my rules. You will help me recruit the other metahumans but I will lead."

Seeing firsthand her strength and combat skills, Bruce came prepared to offer her the leadership role.

"Ok"

"And one more thing."

"Oh?"

"You will stop flirting with me. I don't work like that. You will keep your hands to yourself."

Bruce gave her a mischievious grin and raised his palms.

"Done. Who's flirting with you?"

She smiled watching his face light up. She too was excited about the new challenge. Particularly working with him. But at the same time a bitter sadness pervades. That one day, that enthusiasm will fade and Bruce too will grow old and feeble and eventually leave her.

It is why their relationship will never go beyond their planned league.


	3. Chapter 3

Diana threw down her armoured bracelets as she entered his quarters followed closely behind by a hobbling Bruce, cowl-less but still in his batsuit.

Bruce's constant recklessness infuriated her. For a man who is so committed to protecting humankind, he seemed to have absolutely very little regard for his own life. It sadly reminded her of somebody else she once knew.

"What were you thinking? You could've been killed out there!"

In their quest at stopping Steppenwolf, Bruce appears to attempt to get himself killed at every opportunity. Constantly going on suicide missions, making her keep a steady eye on him, often rescuing him. It was also causing some tension among the team, questioning Bruce's value to their mission. She wont put up with it anymore.

He made his way over to the bar, brought down a bottle of whiskey, poured himself a full glass and sculled it.

"Maybe I should have."

In a flash, Diana grabbed him by his suit front, her angry eyes piercing his.

"Don't you dare say that! You brought me into this, you set up this team, don't you dare try to bail out now. You WILL see this mission through!"

"Then what Diana?"

Bruce closed his eyes.

"Another villain? Another threat to Earth? When will it stop Diana? When do we stop? When do I stop? Two years?..five years?...ten years?

"While you will remain the same, strong and lightning fast as ever, I wont.

It suddenly struck her that this was the first time Bruce has openly been honest with her..and she realized it.

She released her grip and turned her back to him, staring at the wall.

"You don't age Diana. I do. In my world, when you grow old, you become helpless, dependent on others. It's either that or you retire and somebody else takes over. It's the natural order of things.

"I set up this team, not so much to defeat Steppenwolf, but to take over the mantle of fighting crime in Gotham and Metropolis and to neutralize any external threat to this planet. To take over the Batman. To do extraordinary things I could never accomplish by myself."

Bruce eyed and swirled his second drink.

"The team is financially-secured Diana. I have already made arrangements that everything the Justice League needs will be provided and financed by Wayne Corp. Alfred will also not be around forever so you will be the trustee. Your signature will release anything you and the team will need.

"The Justice League does not need me anymore. The older I get the more burdensome I will become. I have no intention of that happening. I have no intention of growing old Diana. God, I had no intention of living this long."

He paused.

"I died a long time ago Diana. I have nothing to live for."

A heavy silence settled between them.

"Is that all Bruce?"

He stood there for a minute, contemplating if he should tell her. It's now or never Bruce, what have you got to lose?

"No."

He reached out and lightly held her by the arm, turning her around. She dropped her head, evading his eyes. He tucked a finger under her chin, lifting her beautiful face to him.

"Every day I see you, it pains me Diana. Knowing that I will grow old while your beauty will never fade, just kills me. I die a thousand deaths every time I see you. Yet I can't look away. Being human can be so cruel. Being close to you is so bittersweet. Since that morning in Paris, I'm afraid I'm developing more than platonic feelings for you Diana. Much more. And it scares me. I'm in love with you Diana."

Captured by the moment, she closed her eyes as his lips moved over hers. First tentatively, then with the hunger of a man clinging on to life. Her hand combed through his hair then started massaging his scalp as their kiss deepened. His left hand held her by the midriff and then moving up, rubbing the underside of her breast as she let his tongue explore her succulent mouth. His other hand settled on her hip, moving to her back, tracing her spine as she locked her arms around his neck, drinking from his lips.

"Oh Bruce..we have to stop.."

He drew back, reluctantly, as her forehead rested against his Adam's apple. His hand lightly brushing her hair.

"Im confused Bruce..I need time to think..it is not easy for me either."

He nodded. And it took sheer willpower for her to leave his arms and make her way out of his quarters, not looking back.

Outside, she leaned onto the wall as her mind raced away at what just happened. Bruce had just awakened feelings that have laid dormant in her for so many years, so many decades. Feelings she had long forgotten about. Or perhaps she always knew were there, waiting to come alive, when she first saw him at Lex's party?

She shook her head.

Think Diana, think.

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End file.
